Tube cleaner



T. C. WILSON f July 29, 1930.

TUBE CLEANER Filed May 12, 1927 m w m A 4/ M M 8 7 y l M ITL v M fl W/ 2 x z 8 vi 2 a2; NVENTOR @Qfl W ATTORNEY Patented July 29, 1930 A THOMAS ,0. WILSON, or ROOKLY unwivonk TUBE CLEAN R. 1

Application filed May 2, 192?. Serial No. 190,790

The device, the subject of this invention, is a brush intended for cleaning the tubes of a boiler and the-objects of the invention are to provide a brush that will have a longer wear; that will more readily accommodate itself to the inner walls of the tube to be cleaned and that may go readily up past the return bends usually found as a fitting at the back end of boiler tubes.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby a brush of particularly of cutting the interiors of the tubes to a harmful extent, or, because of the Width of the brush,crushing the bristles to such a degree as to make them inoperative.

The following is what I consider the best means of carrying out my invention and the accompanying drawing should be referred to y for a complete understandingofthe specie fication.

. In the drawing:

t. Fig. 1 shows asectional view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

Fig.2 shows a sectional view of the body F 1g. 3 is a sectional view of the movable member.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of my brush.

s Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the movable member. 3

Fig. dis a side elevation of a complete assembly. V

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

The body member of my brush as'Well as shown in the figures I provide a longitudinal channel through the body member for a purpose that shall appear later and a body member having such a longitudinal channel is shown at 1.

The'channel which is indicated at 2 extends into the body member for about onehalf of the diameter of the body member and i is provided with'a'c'ontinuing recess of any Into the recess or channel 21 'material.

ewes .1

desired shape as shown at 3 inFigri and in Fig.2. i

fit a bar or insert 5. This bar which is shown. in side eleva: tionin Fig. .5 has its endslreduced asshown at'6 and 7: and as shown in Fig.8 the bar 5 is, provided with a recess 8.

Referring back to Figs. 1 and 2,,it will be noted that Iproduce a pluralityof hOlQSBX? tending from. the outer edges of the member 1 and terminating in therecess ofggroovefi;

stiff bristles may be employed without fear or 4 It wluibenotedvt-hat these holes of these holes r passages terminating in the Qss8s11OWI i Ltl B unders e o the ba 5-" It is my intention that bristles of a suitable aturers h. fo instan te w nel ri'stl e nser 'infi al o the pa s g s. o perforations. %10, 1:11-12, l3-r 4j when so I inserte andrwi h t membe l p ac iin. the channel 2 t leib istle ll proj c from t memb r a epproximete y eq al d stances. p i TQseQ e the ris es. 1.5- nth im m r 5, a

tie r 6 is p ssed hm gh. the i tles and. y he r stl sare ra n do n x h o t m. of.

the slot 8,'thereafter and withthe bristlQS. a l li ie ire i P 039 the sl 8 s fill d. w th solder or any. other suitable supporting The bristles lfi and 118 are secured in their holes :or passages fi and, 10; by-tie wiresa's shownat 19 and 20 andthereafter the. exten-.

siongrooveonrecess 3 or. 4 is filled with." solder as is the recess 8. r i i i Thev ends of the member lgbeyond. the bristle receiving portionisf screw threaded a shown at 21, and 22. and uponeach end I place a cap 23 or 24, the cap 24 having a projection 25 "for the reception of the operating rod, if

such is used.

Adjacent to the screw threaded portions 21 and 22 andwithin the member 1 I produce recesses as shown at 26 and 27 and in each of these recesses I place a spring 28 or 29. One I end of the spring rests against the inner surface of the adjacent cap and the other end of the spring rests against the adjacent projection 6 or 7 ofthe memberfi and in so doing urges the member 5 outward .to the full extent allowed by the caps and at the same time provides airesilient support resisting as much as desired the movement inward of the member 5 and the bristles carried thereby.

It will be understood that the caps 23 and Z-l are interchangeable, thus preventing distortion of the bristles by uneven Wear. It will also be understood that a greater or lesser number of bristle tufts than that shown may be employed and particular attention is called to the fact that the bristles of each series are arranged in staggered relation to the-bristles of the next series.

' The ability of the-bar5 to recede against the-spring pressure of the springs 27 and 28 makes it possible for this brush to pass readily around close radial bends. It also assures a cleaning effort even after the brush becomes worn to an extent that would make the rigid type of brush useless. Thelife of this brush is therefore longer than the ordinary type of brush and the cleaning throughout its life. i

The size of all parts may be changed and other modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention; Having carefully and fully described my invention, what I'claim and desire to obtain 1. A brush having a body member "provided' With'a recess, a movable member retained partially within said recess therein, a plurality of tufts of bristles in'alignment in both said body member and in said movable member and resilient means for urging said movable member outward.

- 2'. Abru'sh comprising an elongated cylindrical body memberprovided with a longitu-V dinal recess and a deeper recess at each end of said longitudinal recess, bristles in said cylindrical body,-bristles in said bar, and springs one'in each said deeper recess'and' adapted to engage one at each end of said bar for urging said bar outward each end of said bar being slightly reduced, and a' cap at i each end of said cylindrical member for retaining said bar and engaging saidbar upon its reduced portion. v i j Signed at the city,'c0unty and State of New York, this 19th day of November, 1926. V

' f THOMAS'C; WILSON."

more uniform" 

